By Cheryl Sullenger
Washington, DC – At least three crucially important pro-life bills are set for a vote in the U.S. House and Senate next week as thousands of pro-life supporters gather in the nation’s capital to mark the 45th year of Roe v. Wade.
Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, H.R. 36
After much delay, a vote on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is scheduled to take place in the Senate. The legislation, which would protect babies 20 weeks of gestation and older from abortion, has already passed the House.
Abortions at 20 weeks and later are unpopular, even with many people who support abortion. This should be easier to pass than it actually will be.
The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will have to meet the high threshold of 60 votes in order to pass, which will be difficult given the subject of abortion and the unwillingness of Democrats to cross the aisle even in support of popular legislation such as this.
If it does successfully pass in the Senate, it will go to President Trump, who has promised to sign it into law.
“We have waited a long time for this vote, and we hope the Republican Senate leadership will do all they can to make this a successful vote because it will save thousands of innocent lives each year. These babies cannot afford a half-hearted ‘show vote’ on this important legislation,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, H.R. 4712
For years, Operation Rescue has complained that the Born Alive Infant Protection Act of 2002 had no mechanism to penalize violations, allowing those who have let babies who survive abortions to die without rendering aid — or even intentionally killing them after birth, as alleged against Houston abortionist Douglas Karpen — to get away with it without consequence. OR has long recommended the passage of a bill that would provide the criminal penalties that are needed to ensure enforcement of the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.
Now comes this welcome bill, the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, H.R. 4712, introduced by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), that will “prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.”
However, the best part of H.R. 4712 is that it will finally correct the enforcement flaw in the 2002 law, and create criminal penalties for anyone who defies it.
A vote has been set in the House for January 19, 2018, to coincide with the March for Life.
Heartbeat Protection Act, H.R. 490
Also set for a January 19 vote is the Heartbeat Protection Act, H.R. 490, introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA). This bill would amend the law to make it a crime to “to knowingly perform an abortion: (1) without determining whether the fetus has a detectable heartbeat, (2) without informing the mother of the results, or (3) after determining that a fetus has a detectable heartbeat.”
This bill is a bit more controversial than the others because it has failed to attract the support of National Right to Life. Rep. King has recently questioned their lack of support on Twitter.

Operation Rescue has been a faithful supporter of this legislation at both the state and federal levels.
The bills slogan is, “If a heartbeat is detected the baby is protected.” Heartbeats in pre-born babies can be detected as early as 6-7 weeks gestation.
“This bill would halt all but the earliest abortions, save literally millions of lives, and would likely decimate the abortion cartel. We are all for that!” said Newman.
Please contact your Congressmen and Senators!
Passage of these bills is critically important because they will save countless lives. Please stand with the innocent children whose survival depends on these legislative protections, and take action to support all three bills by contacting your Representative and Senators to urge their support.
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